In this cordless grass strimmer review, I thoroughly compared assembly ease, design, battery, performance, ease of use, noise, safety and value for money for multiple products. After hours of research and testing, I recommend the WORX GT 3.0 Cordless Grass Strimmer as the best cordless grass strimmer on the UK market.
My Top Recommended Cordless Grass Strimmers
1. WORX GT 3.0 Cordless Grass Strimmer - Best cordless strimmer overall
2. BLACK+DECKER Cordless String Grass Trimmer - Best budget strimmer [ SAVE 59% ]
3. Ryobi OLT1832 ONE+ Cordless Grass Trimmer - Best versatility
4. Flymo Contour Cordless 20V Li Grass Trimmer - Best budget strimmer & edger
5. Ryobi RLT1825M20S ONE+ Cordless Grass Strimmer - Best for grass & light weeds
6. Bosch Advanced Grass Cut 36 Cordless Strimmer - Best for medium to large gardens [ SAVE 10% ]
7. Einhell GC-CT Cordless Grass Strimmer - Best lightweight strimmer [ SAVE 16% ]
8. Terratek Cordless Grass Strimmer - Best value strimmer [ SAVE 43% ]
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How We Tested
We tested various cordless strimmers with varied designs, features, and prices. Some were more suitable for heavy-duty use or bigger gardens, while others suited smaller gardens and budgets much better! Throughout this review, we assessed:
- Assembly Ease: Most strimmers can be assembled within a few minutes, so we deemed any models that took over 10 minutes too long for the average gardener. We checked the assembly instructions to see if these were clear and had diagrams and rated them down if they didn’t.
- Design: To be ranked high, models needed to demonstrate the right balance between weight and power. Cordless strimmers weighing 2.5 kg were best for long-term use as well as short bursts of activity, so they were rated higher than heavier models. For strimmers weighing more than 3 kg, we assessed whether the design accommodated this, such as with a harness. Designs with adjustable cut paths (ideally 25 – 30 cm) were rated higher as they could be used for both lawns and more difficult places, like in between bushes, improving the versatility of the strimmer.
- Battery: Battery life and charge time determine how quickly you can strim your garden, so any battery that lasted less than 30 minutes was seriously marked down, as this wouldn’t typically be enough time for a large or some medium-sized gardens. Also, charge times of above an hour and a half were rated down as this is too long to wait, particularly if you have a larger garden.
- Performance: To assess performance, we tested each model on a range of vegetation of different lengths and thicknesses, including long, thick grass, light weeds, and thicker vegetation. Any models that could handle both light and thicker organic material were given top marks. We also tested the models in hard-to-reach areas, like between bushes, as this truly tested how skilled they were in terms of their performance. The double-string models received a better review in terms of performance because they’re more powerful and, thus, more versatile than the single-string designs.
- Ease of Use: The most comfortable cordless strimmers feature ergonomic rear and front handles, a telescopic shaft, and a push-button or automatic line feeder. Because of this, any models that included this combination of features were rated as some of the best in terms of ease of use.
- Noise: Noise levels over 70 dB can damage your hearing if you’re around it for a long time, so it was vital to test the noise levels of each model. The models varied drastically in how noisy they were. Models that were powerful yet retained low noise levels (of 85 dB or below) were given the best ratings, while less powerful models producing over 90 dB of noise were ranked lowest.
- Safety: The main safety feature strimmers can have is a safety switch alongside the trigger. Models with a safety switch – and even better, an ambidextrous and easily accessible one – we deemed safer, so we rated them higher.
- Value for Money: The cordless strimmers that had more than one function – such as an edger or shrub function – demonstrate better value for money in my eyes. If these models also have extra features like a guide wheel, foot pedal, or plant guard and are still affordable to most gardeners, these got top marks in terms of value for money.
My Product Reviews & Opinions
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WORX is known for producing high-quality garden tools, one of which is the GT 3.0 Cordless Grass Strimmer. A 2-in-1 tool that also has an edger function, this strimmer is packed with features and also marked at a reasonable price.
The WORX GT 3.0 required very little assembly – it was up and running in less than five minutes. However, you may want to spend a little more time exploring its many adjustable features – from the shaft, to the handle, to the angle of the head – these can all be altered to make the strimmer as easy and comfortable to use as possible.
Whilst the strimmer felt lightweight to hold, its power was evident as soon as it was turned on.
It handled the easy stuff (long, thick grass and light weeds) without a problem, but did struggle with thicker vegetation. However, you’ll still be able to strim dense areas by cutting thicker stems in two or three sections (rather than in a single swipe) – it’ll just take a little longer.
The battery that came with this cordless grass trimmer had a run time of around 30 minutes, but you can’t expect too much from a 2.0Ah battery. The fact that it charges in just one hour is a huge plus, and you always have the option of purchasing a larger battery.
The WORX GT 3.0 would be considered a mid-range cordless trimmer. It costs a little more than some of the budget options, but it’s not as pricey as high-end models. Nevertheless, it offers just as many, if not more, features as several of the high-end strimmers out there. For this reason, it’s one of the best cordless strimmers overall.
Even if you don’t use the edger function very often, the adjustable design, push-button cable feeder, and sheer power of this strimmer make it, in our opinion, the best cordless strimmer for the UK market and a worthwhile purchase for gardens of all sizes.
Best cordless strimmer overall
Scores:
- Assembly Ease
- Design
- Battery
- Performance
- Ease of Use
- Noise
- Safety
- Value for Money
- Overall
WORX is known for producing high-quality garden tools, one of which is the GT 3.0 Cordless Grass Strimmer. A 2-in-1 tool that also has an edger function, this strimmer is packed with features and also marked at a reasonable price.
The WORX GT 3.0 required very little assembly – it was up and running in less than five minutes. However, you may want to spend a little more time exploring its many adjustable features – from the shaft, to the handle, to the angle of the head – these can all be altered to make the strimmer as easy and comfortable to use as possible.
Whilst the strimmer felt lightweight to hold, its power was evident as soon as it was turned on.
It handled the easy stuff (long, thick grass and light weeds) without a problem, but did struggle with thicker vegetation. However, you’ll still be able to strim dense areas by cutting thicker stems in two or three sections (rather than in a single swipe) – it’ll just take a little longer.
The battery that came with this cordless grass trimmer had a run time of around 30 minutes, but you can’t expect too much from a 2.0Ah battery. The fact that it charges in just one hour is a huge plus, and you always have the option of purchasing a larger battery.
The WORX GT 3.0 would be considered a mid-range cordless trimmer. It costs a little more than some of the budget options, but it’s not as pricey as high-end models. Nevertheless, it offers just as many, if not more, features as several of the high-end strimmers out there. For this reason, it’s one of the best cordless strimmers overall.
Even if you don’t use the edger function very often, the adjustable design, push-button cable feeder, and sheer power of this strimmer make it, in our opinion, the best cordless strimmer for the UK market and a worthwhile purchase for gardens of all sizes.
Read the full WORX GT 3.0 Cordless Grass Strimmer Review
Tested By: Alina Jumabhoy
Features:
- Weight
- 2.4kg
- Cutting Width
- 30cm
- Battery Included?
- Yes
- Charge Time
- 60m
- Max. Run Time
- 30m
- Battery
- 2.0 Ah lithium-ion
- Power
- 20V
- Max. Speed
- 7600 RPM
- Noise Level
- 80dB
- Telescopic Shaft?
- Yes
Pros
- Adjustable shaft, handle, and head makes this cordless strimmer more versatile, as well as comfortable to use
- The 2.0Ah battery charges in just one hour
- Has an edging function that works well on lawns
- Can cope with all types of vegetation - long and short grass, light weeds, and thick vegetation
- Lightweight at 2.4 kg - it won’t leave your arms aching!
Cons
- Thick vegetation needs to be cut down in 2-3 sections, which takes a lot more time
- The 2.0Ah battery only lasts for 30 minutes - you’ll need to purchase a larger battery if you want to strim for longer
The BLACK+DECKER STC1820 cordless string trimmer is a brilliant budget piece of kit. If you’ve got oddly shaped patches of grass or weeds, or if you need to keep on top of your edging, this machine is quite hard to beat.
Decked out in BLACK+DECKER’s recognisable black and orange colours, it’s a lightweight 18 V trimmer that looks a bit plastic but is surprisingly robust for its size and weight. The last thing you want is a heavy garden strimmer, so the overall weight of just 2.6 kg is impressive.
You get a nicely sized ergonomic rear handle, ambidextrous safety switch, and a big front handle that can adjust to a comfortable angle easily. You can easily change the length of the shaft by twisting a locking collar in the middle too, so it’s fine for users of different heights.
A single string trimmer, it’s not quite as powerful as a heavy duty double string version, but it is strong enough to trim heavy grasses and weeds without complaint. It also boasts an auto line feed system, which means you don’t waste so much string like you would on an older style “bump” feed trimmer.
It makes a 28 cm wide cut path that isn’t adjustable compared with the Ryobi OLT1832, but it’s a happy medium that can cut small lawns and get in between bushes when you need to. An interesting feature is the two power modes you can select via a switch in front of the handle. There’s eco mode that saves power but lacks a bit of grunt, and boost mode that provides the optimum cut speed, in my experience.
Something that I think makes this the best garden strimmer for edging is the guide wheel on the string end. You simply pull and twist the shaft to convert the trimmer from horizontal to vertical mode, and the wheel means you’re always at the optimum height for cutting.
You get a 2.0 Ah battery included with the trimmer, which is about powerful enough to run on top speed for about 20 minutes. It doesn’t sound like a lot, but it should be enough to tidy up a small to medium size garden. You can, of course, run the trimmer in eco mode that will stretch the run time out a bit though.
The only thing I think lets this trimmer down somewhat is the slow charger. Being more used to fast chargers that can take a 2.0 Ah battery from dead to 100% in an hour or less, this little trickle charger is quite annoying.
The charger is very small and compact, which is nice, but it’s only rated to 0.4 mAh which means you’ll be waiting for several hours to charge your battery. Not ideal for anyone with a larger space to tidy up. You should probably buy yourself some spare batteries or invest in one of BLACK + DECKER’s fast chargers.
Best budget strimmer
[ SAVE 59% ]Scores:
- Assembly Ease
- Design
- Battery
- Performance
- Ease of Use
- Noise
- Safety
- Value for Money
- Overall
The BLACK+DECKER STC1820 cordless string trimmer is a brilliant budget piece of kit. If you’ve got oddly shaped patches of grass or weeds, or if you need to keep on top of your edging, this machine is quite hard to beat.
Decked out in BLACK+DECKER’s recognisable black and orange colours, it’s a lightweight 18 V trimmer that looks a bit plastic but is surprisingly robust for its size and weight. The last thing you want is a heavy garden strimmer, so the overall weight of just 2.6 kg is impressive.
You get a nicely sized ergonomic rear handle, ambidextrous safety switch, and a big front handle that can adjust to a comfortable angle easily. You can easily change the length of the shaft by twisting a locking collar in the middle too, so it’s fine for users of different heights.
A single string trimmer, it’s not quite as powerful as a heavy duty double string version, but it is strong enough to trim heavy grasses and weeds without complaint. It also boasts an auto line feed system, which means you don’t waste so much string like you would on an older style “bump” feed trimmer.
It makes a 28 cm wide cut path that isn’t adjustable compared with the Ryobi OLT1832, but it’s a happy medium that can cut small lawns and get in between bushes when you need to. An interesting feature is the two power modes you can select via a switch in front of the handle. There’s eco mode that saves power but lacks a bit of grunt, and boost mode that provides the optimum cut speed, in my experience.
Something that I think makes this the best garden strimmer for edging is the guide wheel on the string end. You simply pull and twist the shaft to convert the trimmer from horizontal to vertical mode, and the wheel means you’re always at the optimum height for cutting.
You get a 2.0 Ah battery included with the trimmer, which is about powerful enough to run on top speed for about 20 minutes. It doesn’t sound like a lot, but it should be enough to tidy up a small to medium size garden. You can, of course, run the trimmer in eco mode that will stretch the run time out a bit though.
The only thing I think lets this trimmer down somewhat is the slow charger. Being more used to fast chargers that can take a 2.0 Ah battery from dead to 100% in an hour or less, this little trickle charger is quite annoying.
The charger is very small and compact, which is nice, but it’s only rated to 0.4 mAh which means you’ll be waiting for several hours to charge your battery. Not ideal for anyone with a larger space to tidy up. You should probably buy yourself some spare batteries or invest in one of BLACK + DECKER’s fast chargers.
Read the full BLACK+DECKER Cordless String Grass Trimmer Review
Tested By: Harry Duncton
Features:
- Weight
- 2.6 kg
- Cutting Width
- 28 cm
- Battery Included?
- Yes
- Charge Time
- 300 mins
- Max. Run Time
- 25 mins
- Battery
- 2.0Ah Lithium battery
- Power
- 18V
- Max. Speed
- 5500 RPM
- Noise Level
- 96 dB
- Telescopic Shaft?
- Yes
Pros
- This is an impressive grass trimmer for the price. Powerful enough for domestic use, and supplied with a battery and charger, it’s everything you need to keep the garden tidy.
- It’s an excellent edging tool as well as weed trimmer. Converting to edging mode is easy, and the included guide wheel means you’re always edging at the right height.
- I was really impressed with the weight of this trimmer. Under 3 kg with a battery in place makes it usable for just about anyone, and it doesn’t really need a shoulder strap.
- Adjusting the length of the shaft and switching between cutting and edging modes is simple. You twist the locking collar then change the length. Wonderfully easy to manage.
Cons
- You should invest in some extra batteries if you want to squeeze more than 20 minutes of trimming time out of this machine. It’s power hungry and only comes with a 2.0 Ah battery.
- The tiny little charger that comes with the trimmer might be very portable, but it’s slow. You can expect to wait for several hours before your batteries are fully charged again.
- It’s nice to have some control over the cutting speed with eco mode and boost mode settings, but the low speed is not powerful enough for heavy weed whacking.
Japanese tool giants Ryobi make some of the best DIY level tools on the market. They’re more than capable for jobs around the home and garden, and the Ryobi OLT1832 cordless grass trimmer is a good example of an affordable garden tool. If you’ve got lots of awkward spots in your garden that the mower can’t reach, this is an ideal piece of equipment to add to your collection.
Supplied with Ryobi’s excellent ergonomic handle shape, a telescopic shaft, and their “Easy Edge” technology that leys you flip the cutting head around to edge your paths and borders, it’s a versatile trimmer for all sorts of gardens.
The standard cut path on this trimmer is set to 30 cm, but you can reduce it to 25 cm simply by turning the line cutter around inside the blade guard. It’s a clever little extra that gives you more control over your cutting and takes some strain off the battery for higher efficiency.
One of the better features on this trimmer is the automatic line feed. Older types of trimmers used to throw out line whenever you pulled the trigger, which wasted precious line, but it’s not an issue with this one. It only lets out enough for the job unless the line gets tangled of course.
If you want to tackle thick stemmed weeds or hugely overgrown grasses, Ryobi’s solution is to include a separate cutting head. Using heavy duty green plastic blades instead of the ordinary string line, you can whack through heavy stuff easily, but they don’t last forever.
Best versatility
Scores:
- Assembly Ease
- Design
- Battery
- Performance
- Ease of Use
- Noise
- Safety
- Value for Money
- Overall
Japanese tool giants Ryobi make some of the best DIY level tools on the market. They’re more than capable for jobs around the home and garden, and the Ryobi OLT1832 cordless grass trimmer is a good example of an affordable garden tool. If you’ve got lots of awkward spots in your garden that the mower can’t reach, this is an ideal piece of equipment to add to your collection.
Supplied with Ryobi’s excellent ergonomic handle shape, a telescopic shaft, and their “Easy Edge” technology that leys you flip the cutting head around to edge your paths and borders, it’s a versatile trimmer for all sorts of gardens.
The standard cut path on this trimmer is set to 30 cm, but you can reduce it to 25 cm simply by turning the line cutter around inside the blade guard. It’s a clever little extra that gives you more control over your cutting and takes some strain off the battery for higher efficiency.
One of the better features on this trimmer is the automatic line feed. Older types of trimmers used to throw out line whenever you pulled the trigger, which wasted precious line, but it’s not an issue with this one. It only lets out enough for the job unless the line gets tangled of course.
If you want to tackle thick stemmed weeds or hugely overgrown grasses, Ryobi’s solution is to include a separate cutting head. Using heavy duty green plastic blades instead of the ordinary string line, you can whack through heavy stuff easily, but they don’t last forever.
Read the full Ryobi OLT1832 ONE+ Cordless Grass Trimmer Review
Tested By: Harry Duncton
Features:
- Weight
- 2.3kg
- Cutting Width
- 30cm
- Battery Included?
- No
- Charge Time
- Battery Dependent
- Max. Run Time
- Battery Dependent
- Battery
- Not included
- Power
- 18V
- Max. Speed
- 8500 RPM
- Noise Level
- 94.2 dB
- Telescopic Shaft?
- Yes
Pros
- You can choose from three different angle positions on the cutting head. This means you can always find a comfortable direction whether you’re cutting grass or edging a path.
- Weighing less than 3 kg, even with a battery on board, makes this a lightweight grass trimmer that almost anyone can use comfortably. There’s no great need for a shoulder strap.
- Although this trimmer comes as a bare tool, Ryobi ONE + batteries are widely available and can be used in a huge number of 18 Volt tools, from drills to tyre inflators.
- The adjustable shaft and cutting head work together to make this a comfortable trimmer for different users. You can extend the shaft by 20 cm for taller users.
Cons
- A single string line trimmer like this is never as capable as a double string version. It can take a while to chop out heavy overgrowth as it’s not hugely powerful.
- Bear in mind that the battery you use makes a huge difference to the performance in your garden. For more than 20 minutes’ run time, you need a high capacity one on board.
The Flymo Contour Cordless 20V Li Grass Trimmer is an easy to use cordless strimmer. It comes with a trimmer line already fitted so there’s no need to waste time fitting it yourself.
This strimmer comes with a 20 V 2.5 Ah lithium ion battery that gives it a run time of around 33 minutes. This is fairly accurate although you may find it drains faster in denser areas.
There’s two modes to choose from, edging and shrubbing. The edging mode can be used to neaten up the edges of the lawn, while the shrubbing function enables you to access awkward areas that can’t be reached with a mower, such as underneath benches, bushes and trampolines.
This strimmer was able to tackle long and thick grass without a problem, but it may struggle with thicker vegetation due to the power.
It comes with a 20 V 5Ah li-ion battery and charger included. The battery life is 33 minutes which is reasonable, and it only takes about 90 minutes to recharge, which isn’t bad at all. If you’ve only got a small garden, you shouldn’t need more than 30 minutes battery life, but you may prefer a larger battery for bigger spaces.
This trimmer has a large foot pedal that allows you to easily adjust the modes. The plant guard protects plants and shrubs from damage while you work, and the 25 cm cutting width allows you to be as efficient as possible.
It has to be said, this trimmer isn’t particularly easy to assemble. While the line arrives pre-loaded so you don’t need to do it yourself, But some physical strength is required to put it together, and the instructions are a little unclear in places.
At 3 kg, this strimmer is neither the lightest nor the heaviest on my list. It feels solid and sturdy, but it will eventually get tiring to use. You may prefer a harness to comfortably operate this strimmer, but the handle does have a soft grip for comfort.
All in all, this strimmer is a great option if you’re after a good quality tool that’s capable of both edging and strimming. It’s suitable for most gardens, although you may find the battery life limiting.
Best budget strimmer & edger
Scores:
- Assembly Ease
- Design
- Battery
- Performance
- Ease of Use
- Noise
- Safety
- Value for Money
- Overall
The Flymo Contour Cordless 20V Li Grass Trimmer is an easy to use cordless strimmer. It comes with a trimmer line already fitted so there’s no need to waste time fitting it yourself.
This strimmer comes with a 20 V 2.5 Ah lithium ion battery that gives it a run time of around 33 minutes. This is fairly accurate although you may find it drains faster in denser areas.
There’s two modes to choose from, edging and shrubbing. The edging mode can be used to neaten up the edges of the lawn, while the shrubbing function enables you to access awkward areas that can’t be reached with a mower, such as underneath benches, bushes and trampolines.
This strimmer was able to tackle long and thick grass without a problem, but it may struggle with thicker vegetation due to the power.
It comes with a 20 V 5Ah li-ion battery and charger included. The battery life is 33 minutes which is reasonable, and it only takes about 90 minutes to recharge, which isn’t bad at all. If you’ve only got a small garden, you shouldn’t need more than 30 minutes battery life, but you may prefer a larger battery for bigger spaces.
This trimmer has a large foot pedal that allows you to easily adjust the modes. The plant guard protects plants and shrubs from damage while you work, and the 25 cm cutting width allows you to be as efficient as possible.
It has to be said, this trimmer isn’t particularly easy to assemble. While the line arrives pre-loaded so you don’t need to do it yourself, But some physical strength is required to put it together, and the instructions are a little unclear in places.
At 3 kg, this strimmer is neither the lightest nor the heaviest on my list. It feels solid and sturdy, but it will eventually get tiring to use. You may prefer a harness to comfortably operate this strimmer, but the handle does have a soft grip for comfort.
All in all, this strimmer is a great option if you’re after a good quality tool that’s capable of both edging and strimming. It’s suitable for most gardens, although you may find the battery life limiting.
Features:
- Weight
- 3 kg
- Cutting Width
- 25 cm
- Battery Included?
- Yes
- Charge Time
- 90 mins
- Max. Run Time
- 33 mins
- Battery
- 2 5Ah li-ion battery
- Power
- 20V
- Max. Speed
- 9000 RPM
- Noise Level
- 74.4 dB
- Telescopic Shaft?
- Yes
Pros
- With one large central wheel, it’s sturdy and good quality
- Has a 25 cm cutting width which makes it efficient across larger areas
- Arrives pre-loaded so there’s no need to thread it yourself
- Plant guard protects trees and other plants
- Handle can be adjusted and has a soft grip for comfort
Cons
- Trigger needs a fairly amount of pressure so can get harder to use over time
There are several products in Ryobi’s One+ cutting tool range, one of which is their RLT1825M20S ONE+ Cordless Grass Strimmer. Strimming isn’t a task that I particularly love doing, but hearing that this strimmer has been designed to make strimming easy and effortless gave me high hopes for how this product would perform.
Upon opening the box, you’ll see that there are only a few components to assemble, which is a good thing since the instruction manual isn’t very clear. Assembly is relatively simple and only took me about 10 minutes.
In general, there’s a lot to say about the design of this cordless grass trimmer – it’s all been very cleverly thought out. Just about everything is adjustable – the handle, the head, and even the cutting width (25 cm or 30 cm), which is a feature that most other cordless strimmers don’t offer.
All of this great design meant that I had high expectations when I first gave the strimmer a try. It cut grass well, both short and long, and didn’t have a problem with light, mostly dried weeds either. However, it really struggled with tough weeds. This isn’t one of the best strimmers to choose if you’re planning on clearing dense and overgrown vegetation.
I also noticed that this strimmer didn’t feel quite as powerful as some of the others that I tested. It came with a 2.0Ah battery, which gave me about 20 minutes of strimming time. This may be all you need if you have a small garden, but I would recommend purchasing a larger battery for medium or large spaces. This same battery can of course be used with other Ryobi One+ tools.
When you consider its many features, this cordless grass trimmer comes in at a fair price. However, as mentioned, if thick weeds are what you need to cut, then you’d probably find this strimmer to be a waste of money. On the other hand, if you only need to strim grass and light weeds, then this probably the best cordless trimmer for the job. It will not only hold up well, but it’ll also make the task easy, comfortable, and relatively enjoyable!
Best for grass & light weeds
Scores:
- Assembly Ease
- Design
- Battery
- Performance
- Ease of Use
- Noise
- Safety
- Value for Money
- Overall
There are several products in Ryobi’s One+ cutting tool range, one of which is their RLT1825M20S ONE+ Cordless Grass Strimmer. Strimming isn’t a task that I particularly love doing, but hearing that this strimmer has been designed to make strimming easy and effortless gave me high hopes for how this product would perform.
Upon opening the box, you’ll see that there are only a few components to assemble, which is a good thing since the instruction manual isn’t very clear. Assembly is relatively simple and only took me about 10 minutes.
In general, there’s a lot to say about the design of this cordless grass trimmer – it’s all been very cleverly thought out. Just about everything is adjustable – the handle, the head, and even the cutting width (25 cm or 30 cm), which is a feature that most other cordless strimmers don’t offer.
All of this great design meant that I had high expectations when I first gave the strimmer a try. It cut grass well, both short and long, and didn’t have a problem with light, mostly dried weeds either. However, it really struggled with tough weeds. This isn’t one of the best strimmers to choose if you’re planning on clearing dense and overgrown vegetation.
I also noticed that this strimmer didn’t feel quite as powerful as some of the others that I tested. It came with a 2.0Ah battery, which gave me about 20 minutes of strimming time. This may be all you need if you have a small garden, but I would recommend purchasing a larger battery for medium or large spaces. This same battery can of course be used with other Ryobi One+ tools.
When you consider its many features, this cordless grass trimmer comes in at a fair price. However, as mentioned, if thick weeds are what you need to cut, then you’d probably find this strimmer to be a waste of money. On the other hand, if you only need to strim grass and light weeds, then this probably the best cordless trimmer for the job. It will not only hold up well, but it’ll also make the task easy, comfortable, and relatively enjoyable!
Read the full Ryobi RLT1825M20S ONE+ Cordless Grass Strimmer Review
Tested By: Alina Jumabhoy
Features:
- Weight
- 2.1kg
- Cutting Width
- 25cm
- Battery Included?
- Yes
- Charge Time
- 60 mins
- Max. Run Time
- 20 mins
- Battery
- Ah Lithium-ion
- Power
- 18V
- Max. Speed
- Not Listed
- Noise Level
- 94.2dB
- Telescopic Shaft?
- Yes
Pros
- Adjustable handle, cutting head, and cutting width gives the strimmer more versatility, and makes it comfortable to use
- Auto-feed line feature releases more line each time you lightly pull the trigger, saving you from having to pull more line out manually
- This grass trimmer has an edging function to keep lawns looking neat
- Lightweight at 2.1 kg - doesn’t require the use of a harness
Cons
- 2.0Ah battery only lasts for 20 minutes (but larger lithium ion batteries can be used if you need to strim for longer)
- Struggles to cut thick vegetation, such as docks, brambles, and thick nettles
- Doesn’t feel as powerful as some of its competitors
Bosch is a brand that just about everyone knows and loves, so I had high hopes for the Bosch Advanced Grass Cut 36 – a cordless grass trimmer and edger that’s designed for long grass and overgrown areas.
Assembling Bosch garden tools is usually a simple task, but this cordless trimmer required quite a bit of strength to put together. As long as that’s not an issue for you, assembly should only take about 15 minutes.
From its colours and design to its numerous features, everything about this grass strimmer screams Bosch. In my eyes, that’s a good thing – this is a brand that has a solid reputation for quality and reliability.
Starting with the positives: this strimmer does well on short grass and most weeds, including brambles and docks. However, it was a little disappointing when tackling long grass: it quickly became tangled which caused the strimmer to choke.
Having a battery life of 35 minutes means this strimmer is best suited to medium gardens.
That said, you could easily swap out the 2.0Ah battery for something more powerful, which is especially easy to do if you already own other battery-powered Bosch power tools as of course the same battery can be used across their cordless range. With a larger battery, it would work well in large gardens too.
This strimmer’s weight is both a pro and a con. At 4.1 kg, it feels solid and sturdy. However, it’s also the heaviest of the cordless grass trimmers I tested – you’ll need to purchase a shoulder harness for long periods of use.
All in all, I did expect a little more from this Bosch grass strimmer – mostly because it’s advertised as being able to tackle long grass (which it can’t, really). Nevertheless, it works well on shorter grass and some thicker vegetation.
If you have a small garden, I would recommend going with a more cost-effective option. However, if you’re a Bosch fan, this could be one of the best cordless strimmers for medium or large gardens – particularly if you can upgrade the battery.
Best for medium to large gardens
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Scores:
- Assembly Ease
- Design
- Battery
- Performance
- Ease of Use
- Noise
- Safety
- Value for Money
- Overall
Bosch is a brand that just about everyone knows and loves, so I had high hopes for the Bosch Advanced Grass Cut 36 – a cordless grass trimmer and edger that’s designed for long grass and overgrown areas.
Assembling Bosch garden tools is usually a simple task, but this cordless trimmer required quite a bit of strength to put together. As long as that’s not an issue for you, assembly should only take about 15 minutes.
From its colours and design to its numerous features, everything about this grass strimmer screams Bosch. In my eyes, that’s a good thing – this is a brand that has a solid reputation for quality and reliability.
Starting with the positives: this strimmer does well on short grass and most weeds, including brambles and docks. However, it was a little disappointing when tackling long grass: it quickly became tangled which caused the strimmer to choke.
Having a battery life of 35 minutes means this strimmer is best suited to medium gardens.
That said, you could easily swap out the 2.0Ah battery for something more powerful, which is especially easy to do if you already own other battery-powered Bosch power tools as of course the same battery can be used across their cordless range. With a larger battery, it would work well in large gardens too.
This strimmer’s weight is both a pro and a con. At 4.1 kg, it feels solid and sturdy. However, it’s also the heaviest of the cordless grass trimmers I tested – you’ll need to purchase a shoulder harness for long periods of use.
All in all, I did expect a little more from this Bosch grass strimmer – mostly because it’s advertised as being able to tackle long grass (which it can’t, really). Nevertheless, it works well on shorter grass and some thicker vegetation.
If you have a small garden, I would recommend going with a more cost-effective option. However, if you’re a Bosch fan, this could be one of the best cordless strimmers for medium or large gardens – particularly if you can upgrade the battery.
Read the full Bosch Advanced Grass Cut 36 Cordless Strimmer Review
Tested By: Derek Smith
Features:
- Weight
- 4.1kg
- Cutting Width
- 24cm
- Battery Included?
- Yes
- Charge Time
- 60 mins
- Max. Run Time
- 35 mins
- Battery
- Ah Lithium-ion
- Power
- 36V
- Max. Speed
- Not Listed
- Noise Level
- 74dB
- Telescopic Shaft?
- Yes
Pros
- Has an edging function to keep lawns looking tidy and defined
- This grass trimmer cuts short grass and most weeds well
- The same battery can be used with other Bosch tools
- Has a semi-automatic line feed function that releases more line each time you pull the trigger, saving you from having to check the cable as you’re strimming
Cons
- Priced significantly higher than its competitors, yet doesn’t have quite as many features as other cordless grass trimmers
- Heavy duty cordless trimmer at 4.1 kg (can be used with a harness, but doesn’t come with one included)
- This was the only strimmer we tested that choked in thick grass
- The semi-automatic line feed function stops working once the battery is down to one bar - you’ll need to pull more line out manually
The Einhell GC-CT Cordless Strimmer comes with a 2.0Ah battery. Manufactured in Germany, this strimmer has been designed to keep lawn edges and flowerbeds tidy, whilst enabling you to cut hard-to-reach areas of your garden.
Assembling this strimmer only takes a few minutes. It’s been designed well, although the adjustable shaft isn’t quite long enough for tall people like myself – I had to stoop while strimming.
This strimmer cuts using plastic blades instead of a cutting line. However, this doesn’t seem to put it at any sort of disadvantage – it copes well with long grass, docks, nettles, and brambles. Even though it hasn’t been designed to cut thick vegetation, it’s powerful enough to do so. The blades are sufficiently flexible not to snap easily, even when up against vegetation that this strimmer can’t hack.
Even better, at just 1.77kg this is the best lightweight cordless strimmer on our list. It can be used continuously for long periods of time without tiring the arms. Its battery lasts for 45 minutes, which isn’t bad considering its power.
Although I never really thought much of plastic blade strimmers in the past, I have to say that I’m a convert – especially when you can purchase one that’s this good for such a reasonable price.
Overall I have to say that this is one of the best cordless grass strimmers available. It offers good value for money, is suitable for small to medium gardens, and can cope with more than it says it will (which is particularly impressive considering its light construction).
Best lightweight strimmer
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Scores:
- Assembly Ease
- Design
- Battery
- Performance
- Ease of Use
- Noise
- Safety
- Value for Money
- Overall
The Einhell GC-CT Cordless Strimmer comes with a 2.0Ah battery. Manufactured in Germany, this strimmer has been designed to keep lawn edges and flowerbeds tidy, whilst enabling you to cut hard-to-reach areas of your garden.
Assembling this strimmer only takes a few minutes. It’s been designed well, although the adjustable shaft isn’t quite long enough for tall people like myself – I had to stoop while strimming.
This strimmer cuts using plastic blades instead of a cutting line. However, this doesn’t seem to put it at any sort of disadvantage – it copes well with long grass, docks, nettles, and brambles. Even though it hasn’t been designed to cut thick vegetation, it’s powerful enough to do so. The blades are sufficiently flexible not to snap easily, even when up against vegetation that this strimmer can’t hack.
Even better, at just 1.77kg this is the best lightweight cordless strimmer on our list. It can be used continuously for long periods of time without tiring the arms. Its battery lasts for 45 minutes, which isn’t bad considering its power.
Although I never really thought much of plastic blade strimmers in the past, I have to say that I’m a convert – especially when you can purchase one that’s this good for such a reasonable price.
Overall I have to say that this is one of the best cordless grass strimmers available. It offers good value for money, is suitable for small to medium gardens, and can cope with more than it says it will (which is particularly impressive considering its light construction).
Read the full Einhell GC-CT Cordless Grass Strimmer Review
Tested By: Derek Smith
Features:
- Weight
- 1.77kg
- Cutting Width
- 24cm
- Battery Included?
- Yes
- Charge Time
- 120 mins
- Max. Run Time
- 55 mins
- Battery
- 2.0 Ah Lithium-ion
- Power
- 18V
- Max. Speed
- 8500 RPM
- Noise Level
- 85dB
- Telescopic Shaft?
- Yes
Pros
- The lightest cordless strimmer we tested, weighing just 1.77 kg, which makes it easy and comfortable to use
- Has an adjustable shaft that will suit people of varying heights (although it isn’t quite long enough for those over 6 feet) and enables you to strim hard-to-reach areas
- Can cope with all types of vegetation - short grass, long grass, light weeds, and thick vegetation
- Blades don’t break easily, which saves having to replace them often
- This grass trimmer can be used with all Einhell Power X-Change lithium ion batteries
Cons
- Thick vegetation needs to be strimmed in sections, which takes longer
- Doesn’t have a safety button to press alongside the trigger, meaning that the strimmer could easily be accidentally turned on
- Tall people will need to stoop when strimming, which can get uncomfortable
Terratek is known for producing quality tools at low prices, resulting in the brand building up a loyal following over the years. Compared to its competition, the Terratek Cordless Grass Strimmer is at the lower end of the price scale, yet it still promises to make light work of cutting grass and weeds.
If minimal assembly appeals to you, then you’ll love this strimmer. It’s pretty much already assembled – open the box and you’ll have the strimmer up and running in less than five minutes.
Overall, there’s no denying that this strimmer’s design is impressive. Granted, at first glance, it may not look particularly exceptional, but take a closer look and you’ll see that numerous features have been crammed into this compact tool.
You can adjust the shaft, handle, and head, and it has an edging function as well as a satisfactory cutting diameter of 25 cm. The only downside is how flimsy the plastic blades feel, although I tried to remain optimistic that they’d be up to the job.
Unfortunately, I was right to have doubts about their strength. They worked well on thick grass, both long and short, dry and damp, but struggled big time when it came to weeds.
This strimmer can cut back the occasional thin weed, such as a spindly willowherb or nettle stalk, but it left thicker weeds standing. What made this even more frustrating was that the plastic blades would easily snap, or spin right off and disappear into the vegetation, when they came into contact with a thick weed.
While I was disappointed with the strimmer’s ability to handle dense vegetation, its battery life impressed me. It came with two batteries, each one 1500 mAh. Initially, I didn’t expect much from them, but each one lasted for 30 minutes – just as long as larger batteries from other brands. The fact that there were two of them meant that this strimmer gave me the longest run time of all (an hour in total).
Being a lightweight strimmer, with so many adjustable parts, the Terratek cordless trimmer was easy to use. However, it does vibrate considerably, which is a bit of a concern.
To conclude: when it comes to features, this cordless grass trimmer offers great value. It will work well to strim grass and has an impressive run time. It’s therefore suitable for all size gardens, from small to large. However, the plastic blades aren’t tough enough to fight brambles, and replacement blades can be expensive, so it’s for light-jobs only.
Best value strimmer
[ SAVE 43% ]
Scores:
- Assembly Ease
- Design
- Battery
- Performance
- Ease of Use
- Noise
- Safety
- Value for Money
- Overall
Terratek is known for producing quality tools at low prices, resulting in the brand building up a loyal following over the years. Compared to its competition, the Terratek Cordless Grass Strimmer is at the lower end of the price scale, yet it still promises to make light work of cutting grass and weeds.
If minimal assembly appeals to you, then you’ll love this strimmer. It’s pretty much already assembled – open the box and you’ll have the strimmer up and running in less than five minutes.
Overall, there’s no denying that this strimmer’s design is impressive. Granted, at first glance, it may not look particularly exceptional, but take a closer look and you’ll see that numerous features have been crammed into this compact tool.
You can adjust the shaft, handle, and head, and it has an edging function as well as a satisfactory cutting diameter of 25 cm. The only downside is how flimsy the plastic blades feel, although I tried to remain optimistic that they’d be up to the job.
Unfortunately, I was right to have doubts about their strength. They worked well on thick grass, both long and short, dry and damp, but struggled big time when it came to weeds.
This strimmer can cut back the occasional thin weed, such as a spindly willowherb or nettle stalk, but it left thicker weeds standing. What made this even more frustrating was that the plastic blades would easily snap, or spin right off and disappear into the vegetation, when they came into contact with a thick weed.
While I was disappointed with the strimmer’s ability to handle dense vegetation, its battery life impressed me. It came with two batteries, each one 1500 mAh. Initially, I didn’t expect much from them, but each one lasted for 30 minutes – just as long as larger batteries from other brands. The fact that there were two of them meant that this strimmer gave me the longest run time of all (an hour in total).
Being a lightweight strimmer, with so many adjustable parts, the Terratek cordless trimmer was easy to use. However, it does vibrate considerably, which is a bit of a concern.
To conclude: when it comes to features, this cordless grass trimmer offers great value. It will work well to strim grass and has an impressive run time. It’s therefore suitable for all size gardens, from small to large. However, the plastic blades aren’t tough enough to fight brambles, and replacement blades can be expensive, so it’s for light-jobs only.
Read the full Terratek Cordless Grass Strimmer Review
Tested By: Alina Jumabhoy
Features:
- Weight
- 2kg
- Cutting Width
- 25cm
- Battery Included?
- Yes (Two)
- Charge Time
- 180-300m
- Max. Run Time
- 40m
- Battery
- 1.3 Ah lithium-ion
- Power
- 20V
- Max. Speed
- 8000 RPM
- Noise Level
- 82.8dB
- Telescopic Shaft?
- Yes
Pros
- Easy assembly means that the grass trimmer is up and running in less than 5 minutes
- Adjustable shaft, handle, and head makes the strimmer more versatile in the garden, as well as more comfortable to use
- This cordless trimmer comes with 2 x 1500 mAh batteries, which, together, run the strimmer for longer than the larger 2.0Ah batteries from other brands
- Cuts grass well, whether this is long, short, wet, or dry
- Lightweight at 2 kg - you won’t need a harness to comfortably use this strimmer
Cons
- Doesn’t strim thick weeds, such as docks, brambles, and thistles
- Blades are flimsy, break very easily, and replacement blades aren’t cheap
- Very strong vibration makes it uncomfortable (and potentially dangerous) to use for long periods of time
Compare Product Features Here
Use the dropdown to sort the table by the feature that's most important to you.
- Our score
- Weight
- Cutting Width
- Battery Included?
- Charge Time
- Max. Run Time
- Battery
- Power
- Max. Speed
- Noise Level
- Telescopic Shaft?
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- Weight2.4kg
- Cutting Width30cm
- Battery Included?Yes
- Charge Time60m
- Max. Run Time30m
- Battery2.0 Ah lithium-ion
- Power20V
- Max. Speed7600 RPM
- Noise Level80dB
- Telescopic Shaft?Yes
-
- Weight2.6 kg
- Cutting Width28 cm
- Battery Included?Yes
- Charge Time300 mins
- Max. Run Time25 mins
- Battery2.0Ah Lithium battery
- Power18V
- Max. Speed5500 RPM
- Noise Level96 dB
- Telescopic Shaft?Yes
-
- Weight2.3kg
- Cutting Width30cm
- Battery Included?No
- Charge TimeBattery Dependent
- Max. Run TimeBattery Dependent
- BatteryNot included
- Power18V
- Max. Speed8500 RPM
- Noise Level94.2 dB
- Telescopic Shaft?Yes
-
- Weight3 kg
- Cutting Width25 cm
- Battery Included?Yes
- Charge Time90 mins
- Max. Run Time33 mins
- Battery2 5Ah li-ion battery
- Power20V
- Max. Speed9000 RPM
- Noise Level74.4 dB
- Telescopic Shaft?Yes
-
- Weight2.1kg
- Cutting Width25cm
- Battery Included?Yes
- Charge Time60 mins
- Max. Run Time20 mins
- BatteryAh Lithium-ion
- Power18V
- Max. SpeedNot Listed
- Noise Level94.2dB
- Telescopic Shaft?Yes
-
- Weight4.1kg
- Cutting Width24cm
- Battery Included?Yes
- Charge Time60 mins
- Max. Run Time35 mins
- BatteryAh Lithium-ion
- Power36V
- Max. SpeedNot Listed
- Noise Level74dB
- Telescopic Shaft?Yes
-
- Weight1.77kg
- Cutting Width24cm
- Battery Included?Yes
- Charge Time120 mins
- Max. Run Time55 mins
- Battery2.0 Ah Lithium-ion
- Power18V
- Max. Speed8500 RPM
- Noise Level85dB
- Telescopic Shaft?Yes
-
- Weight2kg
- Cutting Width25cm
- Battery Included?Yes (Two)
- Charge Time180-300m
- Max. Run Time40m
- Battery1.3 Ah lithium-ion
- Power20V
- Max. Speed8000 RPM
- Noise Level82.8dB
- Telescopic Shaft?Yes
Tips For Buying a Cordless Strimmer
- Cordless strimmers offer flexibility and freedom compared to other models. Nowadays, the best cordless strimmers have a long battery life of around 30 – 50 mins even when used with smaller batteries. 2 – 2.5 Ah batteries generally offer a good compromise between running time and weight.
- 4 – 5 Ah batteries will greatly extend running time, but weigh and cost considerably more, so they’re not always the best option.
- You’ll need to choose between two types of cutting mechanism: cutting line or cutting blades. Choose cutting blades for convenience. Particularly if you’ve grown tired of feeding the cutting line through when it breaks. Cutting blades need to be changed after every few hours of use.
- For line strimmers, choose a bump-feed system to avoid wasting line unnecessarily. Otherwise, automatic-feed is good for ease-of-use.
- In many cases, the strimmer’s power will dictate its capabilities, not whether it has blades or line. Strimmers with at least 18 V of power should be capable of cutting both grass and some thicker vegetation too.
- A telescopic shaft and adjustable handle will help improve comfort. Also, a second handle makes controlling the strimmer easier, particularly on more powerful models (30 – 36 V).
After testing a range of strimmers on our farm, we recommend the Worx GT 3.0 Cordless Grass Strimmer as our top pick. This 2-in-1 tool acts as both a trimmer and edger. With 20 V of power it can easily handle long, thick grass and weeds. Plus, it can manage thicker stems as well if approached in sections.
With a 2.0 Ah battery included, it runs for approximately 30 minutes and charges in one hour.
Why You Can Trust DIY Garden
At DIY Garden, we believe your trust is earned through our knowledge and transparency. Our team of experts has over 75 years collective experience in the gardening and DIY space. Since the website’s creation in 2016 we’ve tested over 275 products, ensuring our recommendations are based on real experience. We’re open about what we’ve tried and what we’ve researched, and this is clearly labelled in our product reviews. Every year, we revisit and update our suggestions to include worthy new additions to the market. Our aim is to give you straightforward, honest, and helpful recommendations, so you can confidently choose the best tools and equipment for your projects.
How to Choose The Best Cordless Strimmer
Using a cordless strimmer is an excellent way to achieve a tidy lawn, with none of the back-breaking effort of using lawn shears or scissors.
Compared to other designs, cordless grass trimmers are one of the best options to go for – you’re not held back by a mains cable, or the weight of a petrol strimmer.
Often, corded electric strimmers need to be used with an extension lead in the garden, and this can be a lot of effort. By comparison, a cordless trimmer save a lot of hassle. Ultimately, if the strimmer is easy to use, you’ll be more likely to get it out the shed.
READ NEXT: The Best Grass Strimmers
If you’re after a new cordless grass trimmer, there are a few things to bear in mind to make sure you’re getting the best one. The information below should give you an idea of what to look out for, and also what to avoid:
How Grass Trimmers Work
Grass trimmers tend to use one of two cutting mechanisms: a cutting line, or cutting blades.
Here’s a description of each type, as well as their pros and cons.
Cutting Line Strimmers
Cordless trimmers that use a cutting line have one or two lines of nylon string inside the head of the strimmer. They cut using centrifugal force; whilst the line is no good for cutting when at rest, it becomes stiff and blade-like when it spins quickly.
As the line wears down, new line needs to be fed into the cutting head from the spool. Sometimes this is done manually, but most cordless trimmers have a system in place to make this process automatic or semi-automatic.
There are two main systems for distributing more line: ‘bump feed’ and ‘automatic feed’.
Strimmers with a ‘bump feed’ system require you to ‘bump’ the end of the strimmer on the ground to release more line. This means that you’re in control of when to release more line, and can help control how quickly it is used.
‘Automatic feed’ strimmers release more line each time the machine is turned back on. This can help ensure you’re never using weak, blunt line. However, it can sometimes result in using line too fast, which becomes expensive. If you’re using a cordless grass trimmer, you’ll likely keep turning off the unit to save battery as you move around the garden. It can therefore be wasteful if new line is automatically released each time you turn the unit on.
Some people prefer the automatic system to the ‘bump feed’ system, you just need to be aware that it could use more line.
There are also single-line and double-line strimmers. Single-line strimmers have less cutting force than double-line strimmers, but that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. It just depends what job you are doing. Some people find that a grass trimmers with a double cutting line is too strong: they can damage tree trunks, flower pots or fencing if you get too close.
Bladed Strimmers
A design which is slowly growing in popularity, bladed strimmers generally have two nylon blades on the head of the strimmer which spin at speed. As they spin, they generate a lot of cutting power.
The blades are replaceable, and generally you’ll need to replace a blade after every 2 hours of use. This is because they can get damaged, and occasionally they’ll come off and get lost in the garden.
Generally, about 10 – 20 spare blades will come included with the strimmer, with replacement packs of around 30 blades available for about £10 online.
In terms of cutting power, blades and cutting line are pretty evenly matched. Some gardeners have grown tired of messing with cutting line and prefer the bladed models, but others don’t enjoy having to replace the blades.
How to Use a Cordless Strimmer
Cordless strimmers naturally require you to be slightly more organised compared to mains-powered tools – charging the battery needs to be done in advance to avoid disappointment when it’s time to tackle the garden.
If you don’t wear the battery all the way down, you’re unlikely to need to recharge it before using it again; the lithium-ion batteries used in cordless tools hold their charge relatively well. Of course, charging before use will make sure that you get the most run-time possible from your cordless machine.
Generally speaking, using a cordless grass trimmer is quite intuitive. There is usually a simple start button which will start the motor going. Some machines have a safety button as well as a start trigger, requiring both to be pushed to avoid accidental start-ups.
It may take a bit of practise initially, as well as trial and error, to work out where the cutting line is, but it doesn’t take long to master.
One side of the grass trimmer will host the cutting edge, and debris will shoot out from the other side. Experiment until you know which is which, otherwise you’ll walk against the cutting direction.
Go slowly with the strimmer regardless of whether it’s an edging job or a tougher task – rushing can cause an uneven cut (and can also be dangerous) so it’s better to take your time to avoid having to go back over the same spot twice. With tougher plants, it can help to tackle them in sections. If a cordless trimmer can’t immediately tackle the thick stem of a weed, it can help to cut from the top down and cut it gradually.
Finally, look out for tripping hazards. Bricks, small fences, garden ornaments, cats, dogs and small children can all trip you up when you’re concentrating on creating a perfect line. It’s best to clear the parameters first, just to be sure.
Why Choose Cordless Over Mains Powered?
Cordless trimmers and mains-powered trimmers work well in the garden. Petrol models are also available, although they’re less commonly used for domestic use so here we’re going to focus on electric models. There are pros and cons to cordless and mains-powered strimmers, which are covered below:
Mains Powered Strimmers
Mains-Powered grass trimmers are powerful and there’s no battery to run down – their run-time is essentially limitless. They can often cut through slightly thicker vegetation than battery-powered models.
However, these strimmers can cause problems sometimes. Some people worry about cutting through the cord with the strimmer, which is easier to do than you might think. Also, as mentioned above, mains-powered strimmers limit you in terms of where you can go in the garden. Generally, they have a mains cable of up to 10 m long, so for anything larger than a small garden, or for reaching awkward places, an extension cable will be needed. This can be a hassle, as well as a tripping hazard.
Cordless Strimmers
Battery-powered strimmers have a limited amount of run-time before you need to stop and charge them. However, how long the battery lasts for depends on its size and power. Some cordless grass trimmers will have a battery than only lasts 20 minutes, but others (normally with a battery of 4 Ah or more) can last around 30 – 40 minutes depending on the job.
Naturally, one of the main benefits of a battery-powered strimmer is that they are much easier to manoeuvre than their corded counterparts. Not only is there no potentially-hazardous cord to accidentally cut or trip over, but there’s no cord restricting your movement either.
As with a lot of things, personal preference will likely dictate whether you choose a mains-powered or battery-powered strimmer. It also depends on the job you are doing, whether you need slightly more power with a mains-powered option, or prioritise the freedom of cordless tools.
In terms of power, there is now some crossover between battery-powered models and mains-powered ones, especially in the mid-range price bracket. So, the biggest caveat is the battery run-time of cordless strimmers. This is something that has greatly improved over the last couple of years, so it’s best to look for a tool that has 30 – 40 minutes run time. 20 minutes may not be enough. Of course, if you buy more batteries, you can keep swapping them out to continue with the job. There are few strimming jobs that will really require more than an hour’s work, making cordless a no brainer for a lot of people.
READ NEXT: The Best Cordless Strimmers For An Allotment
Choosing the Most Comfortable Design
Here are a few things to look out for when looking for the best grass trimmers:
- Handles – an ergonomic handle is a great plus, and a second handle further down the shaft makes strimming much easier. The second handle balances out the weight to avoid ending up with one aching arm. The design of the second handle can differ, and some people find a real handle more comfortable than just a raised hand-hold.
- Telescopic shaft – Adjustable shafts help you find the perfect working height and save on backache. More powerful strimmers should have a longer reach so you can hold them away from your toes. (This is a good place to say you should never strim the lawn in flip flops. Always wear sturdy boots!)
- A cutting style that you get on with – as mentioned above, strimmers can use either cutting line or cutting blades. Keep this in mind when shopping, and decide if you’re more comfortable (physically and economically speaking) replacing wire or blades when it wears out.
Wearing the Correct Attire
Protective clothing such as ear defenders for louder motors with more power can be useful, particularly if the job is going to take a while. This is particularly relevant for a petrol strimmer, but certain electric trimmers can also be very loud.
Sturdy boots are a must, and you should avoid wearing loose trailing clothes that could get caught in the strimmer.
If you’re cutting overgrown areas, protective glasses are important because strimmers can throw up stones and other sharp objects.
Wear gloves to protect your hands whilst strimming, and be aware of the need to take frequent breaks – especially if the machine vibrates a lot.
A Warning About Strimmers and Wildlife
It would be remiss not to mention the injuries strimmers can inflict on harmless wildlife.
They are great bits of kit, but use them mindfully to avoid inflicting unnecessary damage and pain.
Always rake through long grass or undergrowth first, before using cordless grass trimmers. This gives hedgehogs, frogs, toads, grass snakes, newts, mice and all our native wildlife a chance to escape.
Bear in mind that creatures like hedgehogs would rather curl up to avoid danger, so make sure you move any garden furniture, watch what you’re doing and never put a cordless trimmer somewhere you can’t see the cutting line.
Cordless Strimmer FAQs
How long can I realistically expect the battery to last on my cordless grass trimmer?
Naturally, battery run-time varies between cordless strimmer models. However, the most common battery life for a cordless strimmer to have is between 30 – 40 minutes.
Battery life depends on the job you’re doing – if you’re simply cutting lawn grass or a garden path where your lawn mower can’t reach, you can expect to achieve the upper ends of the maximum run-time.
However, if you’re cutting through thicker undergrowth, and especially if you’re having to use a ‘turbo’ setting, you’ll use up the battery quicker – maybe even in as little as 20 minutes.
How do I replace the cutting line on my grass trimmer?
- Firstly, make sure the strimmer is unplugged or turned off.
- Next get out your spare strimmer line.
- Remove the casing and place the new line on the spool’s starter hole, winding it around the directional arrows.
- It’s worth taking your time to make sure it’s neatly done, otherwise the strimmer may jam and you’ll have to start again. When you reach maximum capacity, or come to the end of your strimmer line, cut it with around six inches to spare and fix the end into the spool’s eyelets.
- Then you’ll need to put the spool back in, making sure the line matches up with any outer eyelets.
- Finally replace the strimmer casing by lining up the tabs and pressing until it clicks.
It may take some time to figure this out as it can vary between strimmers, so always retain the instruction booklet. There are some helpful videos online too.
Which is better for releasing cutting line – a ‘bump feed’ system, or ‘automatic feed’?
A bump-feed system requires you to push the head of the strimmer into the ground to prompt more line to be released.
This gives you control over when more line gets used, but can sometimes be unreliable and difficult to use.
An automatic-feed system sees new line getting released automatically everything time the strimmer is turned on.
This is often quite reliable, but can result in line being used up more quickly than necessary.
If you’re worried about having to buy line more often, you might consider a strimmer with a bump-feed system. If that doesn’t concern you as much, and you just want the most straight-forward option, consider an automatic-feed system.
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The Best Petrol Strimmers
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The Best Cordless Strimmers for Your Allotment
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